flstandardbreds Chapter 125 Resolving Differences, Maintaining Peace, and Fostering Unity
Chapter 125 Resolving Differences, Maintaining Peace, and Fostering Unity
To resolve rifts, maintain peace, and promote unity
Su Yunlan led Zhao Yun to a secluded corner in the backyard of the opera troupe.
Xiao Yuhan followed silently behind, his deep gaze fixed on his wife's slender back.
"Yunlan, resolving the conflict is important, but finding the root cause is even more important," Xiao Yuhan whispered beside her, his tone tinged with worry.
Su Yunlan nodded slightly in agreement.
She understood that addressing the symptoms was not as important as addressing the root cause; only by understanding the source of the conflict could the problem be completely solved.
"Mr. Zhao, I'd like to know why you're so dissatisfied with Liu Ruyan?" Su Yunlan asked bluntly.
Zhao Yun snorted coldly, his face full of disdain: "She is not worthy of being my partner at all! Her posture is stiff, and her singing is not smooth enough, which completely lowers my level."
Before Su Yunlan could speak, Liu Ruyan's tearful voice came from not far away: "Mr. Zhao, I admit that my skills are not as good as yours, but I have been working hard to practice. What you are saying is too much!"
Other members of the opera troupe also gathered around, chattering amongst themselves.
"Mr. Zhao is too arrogant. He belittled our original leading lady to nothing the moment he arrived!"
"That's right. Although Liu Ruyan's skills are not as good as Mr. Zhao's, she is humble and sincere. We all like her very much."
"Mr. Zhao is so arrogant because of his fame; it's really too much!"
As Zhao Yun listened to the surrounding discussions, his face grew increasingly grim.
He pointed at Liu Ruyan and said angrily, "You say I'm arrogant? She's just an ordinary actress in a theatrical troupe, what right does she have to perform on the same stage as me? I'm a famous actress!"
Liu Ruyan could no longer hold back, and tears welled up in her eyes: "Mr. Zhao, you..."
"Enough!" Su Yunlan shouted sharply, interrupting Liu Ruyan. "The matter hasn't been clarified yet, and you're already arguing like this. What kind of behavior is this!"
Everyone immediately fell silent, their eyes all focused on Su Yunlan.
Su Yunlan took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and slowly said, "Mr. Zhao, I know you are a famous actor, but that doesn't mean you can look down on others..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Yun impatiently interrupted her: "Boss Su, you don't need to say anymore. My mind is made up, unless..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, a cold smile playing on his lips, "unless someone can surpass me in skill, I will never cooperate with her!"
Su Yunlan's eyes flashed, and an idea came to mind.
“In that case, why don’t we hold an internal competition so that everyone can showcase their skills in a fair and just environment?” Her voice was clear and strong, carrying an undeniable firmness.
The group looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.
Master Li stroked his beard, and even Zhou, the musician who had been silent all along, nodded slightly.
Seeing that everyone agreed, Zhao Yun could no longer object and could only snort coldly, which was taken as tacit consent.
Liu Ruyan gave Su Yunlan a grateful look.
Seeing this, Su Yunlan breathed a slight sigh of relief.
She looked around at everyone and said loudly, "The rules of the competition are very simple. Everyone can freely choose a performance item, and everyone will judge them together to select the winner."
The competition venue was set up in the opera troupe's practice room.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the tense faces inside the room.
A faint sandalwood scent permeated the air, mingling with the smells of sweat and cosmetics, creating a unique atmosphere for the opera troupe.
The sound of gongs and drums signaled the official start of the competition.
Liu Ruyan was the first to go on stage, and she chose a selection from "The Peony Pavilion," which she was most familiar with.
Her gentle and melodious singing, coupled with her elegant figure, perfectly captured Du Liniang's shyness and infatuation.
Next, the other members also took to the stage to perform.
Zhao Yun's performance was naturally stunning. Every smile, every move he made was full of mastery, drawing cheers from the audience.
Halfway through the match, Su Yunlan felt a bit thirsty.
Just then, a slender hand handed her a glass of warm water. She looked up and saw it was Xiao Yuhan.
His gentle gaze fell upon her, tinged with concern.
"Have some water." His voice was deep and magnetic, like a warm current flowing into her heart.
Su Yunlan took the water glass, took a small sip, and a cool, sweet taste instantly soothed her throat.
She smiled gratefully at him, her heart filled with warmth.
Xiao Yuhan gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with a silk handkerchief and softly encouraged her, "Lan'er, you did very well."
Su Yunlan felt his care and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart.
Their eyes met, and both of their eyes were filled with love.
The match continued, and the atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
Everyone gave it their all, showcasing their skills to the fullest.
Finally, Su Yunlan announced the results of the competition.
As expected, Zhao Yun won first place, while Liu Ruyan won second place.
Although Zhao Yun was still somewhat dissatisfied with Liu Ruyan's skills, he also admitted that Liu Ruyan had made great progress.
After the competition, everyone gathered together and enthusiastically discussed the performance.
Zhao Yun walked up to Liu Ruyan and said in a much gentler tone, "You sang 'The Peony Pavilion' very well, and your movements were much smoother than before."
Liu Ruyan was somewhat flattered and quickly said, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Zhao. I will continue to work hard."
Seeing the harmonious atmosphere between the new and old members, Su Yunlan smiled with satisfaction.
Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly heard a commotion outside the opera troupe...
As the drums and gongs subsided, the atmosphere in the training room became even more intense than during the competition.
Liu Ruyan's clever turn during her performance inspired everyone to imitate and practice; Zhao Mingjiao'er's high-pitched singing also captivated the other members, who carefully studied the techniques.
The two, who were originally at loggerheads, now began to give each other pointers. Zhao Mingjiao generously shared his years of stage experience, while Liu Ruyan humbly sought advice, her eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.
Su Yunlan saw all of this and a gratified smile appeared on her lips.
She walked to the center of the crowd, clapped her hands lightly, and said, "We should learn from each other and make progress together. This is the future of our opera troupe! I hope that this competition will not only improve everyone's skills, but also enhance mutual understanding and friendship."
Everyone nodded in agreement, their gazes towards Su Yunlan filled with admiration.
Master Li stroked his beard, walked to Su Yunlan's side, and said with emotion, "Boss Su, I'm really getting old and my eyesight is failing. I had some doubts about you before, but now it seems that you are the one who can truly lead the troupe to glory!"
Su Yunlan smiled modestly: "Master Li is too kind. I just did what I should do. The future of the opera troupe depends on everyone's joint efforts."
The atmosphere inside the practice room was harmonious and warm.
Everyone's face was beaming with smiles, as if they were a united and loving family.
Su Yunlan stood in the middle of the crowd, her heart filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
She knew that she had successfully mediated the conflicts within the opera troupe, making it more united and vibrant.
Just then, a noisy commotion suddenly broke out outside the opera troupe, mixed with some harsh comments.
"Have you heard? That new opera troupe is all talk and no action!"
"That's right! I heard their star performer has a strange temper and often acts like a diva, offending everyone else!"
"And that new play, I heard the plot is clichéd and the singing is awful, it's a complete waste of time!"
These sounds grew clearer and more piercing, like sharp swords shattering the harmonious atmosphere within the opera troupe.
Su Yunlan's expression changed, and an ominous premonition rose in her heart.
She strode to the door, pushed it open, and saw a group of people gathered around the opera troupe's entrance, pointing and talking amongst themselves.
A man with a pointed face and monkey-like features held up a piece of paper and shouted, "Look, look! This is a notice from the opera troupe next door. It clearly states that their so-called new play is a complete scam!"
Su Yunlan snatched the notice and quickly scanned the words on it.
Her face instantly turned gloomy, her fists clenched tightly, and her knuckles turned white.
"This..." Young Master Xiao squeezed through the crowd and his expression changed drastically when he saw the contents of the notice. "This is clearly someone deliberately spreading rumors!"
The gate to the opera troupe seemed particularly heavy amidst the clamor...